How to Become a Paid Family Caregiver with CDPAP
How to get paid by the state for taking care of someone is a question many residents of New York have asked. The answer is the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program or CDPAP. This state Medicaid program pays you to provide care for your loved one.
CDPAP eligibility requirements include
New York Residency
Recipients of state Medicaid
Someone who needs help with activities of daily living or requires homecare or skilled nursing care
Must have a designee, or the consumer can direct care
The New York State Department of Health reports that in some cases, family caregivers under age 18 can qualify for the CDPAP. Spouses cannot become CDPAP-paid caregivers, but siblings and children of the consumer can. It is also essential to know that the consumer, or the person appointed to make decisions for the consumer (designee), is responsible for hiring, training, and supervising the paid caregivers.
Why Become a CDPAP Paid Family Caregiver
The Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program of New York assists homebound seniors or those with disabilities to achieve the best care possible. State Medicaid knows that a trusted family caregiver can provide the best care to the CDPAP consumer. Paid family caregivers do not need formal education to provide care. Instead, they are trained by a nurse to provide specific skilled care, such as medication administration or wound care, which home health aides cannot complete.
Medicaid assesses the consumer to determine how many eligible paid hours are needed. The CDPAP-paid family caregiver can then work those hours around their schedule. The goal is to help improve your loved one’s overall health by receiving care from those they know and trust.
For more information, read the UJCES CDPAP faqs page to help you become a paid family caregiver, email info@ujces.org or call 212-233-6037.
